National Youth Orchestra Huntington School Art Festival trip

Huntington secondary school's music department hosted the National Youth Orchestra’s (NYO) Inspire Orchestra as part of a visit to the school before the end of term during the school’s Arts Festival.

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The school has a special relationship with the orchestra (Image: NYO/ E Dunbar)

It's part of a longstanding relationship between the school's music department which currently has two students, Rob Carr and Ella Hodgson-Laws playing with the orchestra.

The festival attracted hundreds of people to the school (Image: Liz Dunbar/Joao Rei Vilar)

Huntington was chosen as one of six schools to visit as part of their Inspire Orchestra's As One tour. The Inspire Orchestra is made up of NYO alumni, current NYO members and those who have potential to join the main orchestra in the future.

Pupils enjoying themselves on the day (Image: NYO/ E Dunbar)

The orchestra played two 50-minute concerts to students from across the age range, ran improvisation workshops with Huntington’s instrumentalists and roamed the school playing in classrooms, corridors and play grounds.

To round off the day all 160 musicians involved in the Arts Festival joined forces with the 60 strong Inspire Orchestra in rehearsals and a performance of Stevie Wonder’s Sir Duke. 

Orchestra members worked alongside Huntington pupils (Image: NYO/ E Dunbar)

A school spokesperson said: "We have also been able to nominate some of our musicians to take part in the main orchestra's final residential of the year and they will also get to take part in some of the NYO Prom at the Royal Albert Hall.

"This performance will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 on Saturday, August 10 and televised on BBC Four on Sunday, August 11 and as well as Rob and Ella, will also feature Emily Gibbons, Holly Clark and Immie Harpin.

"We are immensely grateful to the NYO GB team for providing this learning experience for our students and look forward to a long and fruitful relationship in years to come."

The orchestra in full flow (Image: NYO/ E Dunbar)